Attorney "Disciplinary" Agencies

In response to the question in last week's post (see below) about collecting fees due from attorneys, one reader sent me to a page on the ABA site of disciplinary agencies for attorneys, listed by state. But, as another expert illustrates below, contacting these agencies may not be much help.

"...one client even went so far as to sue me to get the retainer back. In discovery I found out she told her opponent I had rendered a favorable opinion for her client so he settled. I had not even rendered an opinion at all, though I was working on the case when she called to say it was settled. Since I record all of my calls, I spoke to opposing counsel and confirmed she lied to him. I turned the tape over to the Ethics Board in NJ and the investigator bent over backwards to defend the lying attorney.

This is why experts get upset. You have a blatant case of unethical and possibly illegal conduct on the part of an attorney and the Ethics Board does nothing and to add insult to injury, is rude and discourteous besides!"